HARARE – Outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza on Wednesday released a new video repeating calls for “an uprising” to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign on March 31.
Geza, wanted on sedition charges, appeared in the YouTube video from an undisclosed location wearing military fatigues.
“We want an uprising from Plumtree to Mutare, from Zambezi to Limpopo, everyone should flood the streets, Mnangagwa must go,” Geza declared.
Geza, expelled by Zanu PF two weeks ago, claims to speak for a large group of veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1970s independence war that he says are unhappy with the country’s direction under Mnangagwa.
It remains unclear if his calls for mass action will be heeded, but Mnangagwa’s government is leaving nothing to chance after activating a heavy security response.
Leave and time off has been temporarily cancelled for police officers and roadblocks have increased countrywide.
Mnangagwa spoke to his party’s politburo in Harare on Wednesday stating he had enough support from “patriotic citizens to squash efforts by malcontents and rogue delusional elements bent on disturbing our peace, unity and harmony.”
He added: “Those who bark will continue doing so while the country moves forward.”
Geza’s uprising call has heightened tensions in Zanu PF, coinciding with a push by Mnangagwa’s supporters to amend the constitution and extend his second and final term by two years from 2028 to 2030.
Mnangagwa loyalists fear Geza might be a stalking horse of vice president and retired general Constantino Chiwenga, the man who ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe in 2017 in a military coup which ushered in Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga has not spoken about Geza, at least publicly, and it remains unclear how much influence he retains in the military which remains a power broker in Zanu PF.
Mnangagwa on Tuesday removed army commander Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, an ally of Chiwenga, in a move to coup-proof himself, analysts said.
Geza has urged opposition leaders to join his call for action, but questions remain about his democratic credentials.
In Wednesday’s video appearance, the former Zanu PF central committee member gave out names of what he called “criminals around Mnangagwa” and a second group of “political criminals.”
The first list included businessmen Wicknell Chivayo, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Scott Sakupwanya and Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxilia, who allegedly harbours ambitions of becoming president.
Geza declared: “We’re people of action, you need to buy data because you will see the action we will take about these criminals. They’re not many in number, on the other hand it’s 16 million of us. Why should we suffer at the hands of a few?
“It’s sad what’s happening, you now even hear people saying colonial rule was better. All this is being caused by these political criminals.
“We’re dealing with Mnangagwa on March 31 but these criminals we’re going after them starting from now.
“These people think they’re very clever, but they’re going to regret. It’s they who will in the end voluntarily go to Mnangagwa and say ‘please go now, we’re suffering’.”
Geza said war veterans were “very sorry that we let you down” from years of backing Zanu PF leadership.
“As war veterans we’re in the afternoon of our lives… we cannot leave the country in the hands of thieves. The task to remove the thieves and political criminals is underway,” he added.
